Tuesday, September 7, 2010

Themselves

Commenting on a Tri Nations game in Melbourne a fewweeks ago, a British sports columnist wrote that the AllBlacks destroyed Australia 49-28 in a 'mesmerising gameof such bewildering running, passing, immaculatehandling and implacable ferocity, it did, quite literally attimes, take your breath away. It was a sport unlike anyother we get to see up here, in the northern hemisphere. Iknow it always get said, and is always wrong, but who canstop these All Blacks from taking next year’s World Cup?'

Well, golly gee and shucks. That was Roger Alton,executive editor of The Times, writing in the Spectator of7 August. But I'm not sure whether we should regard hisrave as thoroughly deserved praise or the kiss of death,because unfortunately there is an answer to his question'Who can stop these All Blacks from taking next year’sWorld Cup?' and the answer is: Themselves. But thanksfor asking anyway, Rog.